How to: decrease purl stitches (p2tog tbl)

To decrease purl stitches for left-leaning shaping, you can work p2tog tbl to work two stitches together through the back loop. Be sure to start from behind the second stitch to work this decrease.

Inserting needles through the backs of stitches can be tight, so to stretch them slightly before making the actual stitch you can push the needle through first to make a bit more room.

This decrease is often worked over two purl stitches on the wrong side of a stocking stitch fabric to create a left-leaning decrease on the right side. With the yarn at the front, as for a normal purl stitch, and concentrating on the first two stitches on the left-hand needle, insert the other needle from back to front but starting from the furthest of the two stitches and coming up through both of them. Wrap the yarn around the right-hand tip as usual and lift the stitches off the needle, to place just one stitch on the right-hand needle. Decreasing with this stitch at the edge on every purl row will form a very clean edge on the right side.